Question of the Day: The emergency wig

14 November 2009 ~ 31 Comments

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Today’s q…

Do you have an emergency wig or weave? Where did you store it, when do you bust it out and what does it look like? And do you approve of the emergency wig/weave?

This question is for Shari, our resident graphic designer, who is transitioning and seriously considering a ‘wig break’.

***Shari has some additional questions, check it out!***
Thanks for all the feedback, guys! just a little more background on my situation…I have a wide variety of emergency scarves and hats, but I’m afraid the cotton/wool of my hats and the pulling from the scarves are damaging my hair. Actually, I can’t even call them “emergency” because I rock them at least 3x a week.

I think I may do a weave instead of a wig. My hair is really thick and shoulder length, so it’s hard to fit it underneath a wig. I was Beyonce for Halloween and my wig was shifting and falling off all over the place and my hair barely got into the wig cap.

So another question for everyone, are some wigs/weaves better than others? Should I go cheap or expensive? I am so clueless about this.

***
BGLH now has a forum! Check it out HERE.

Tags: Afro Hair Styles, Black Hair Styles, Natural Hair Care, Natural Hair Growth, Natural Hair Pictures, Natural Hair Styles, Natural Haircare

31 Responses to “Question of the Day: The emergency wig”

Nana 13 November 2009 at 2:08 am Permalink

Personally, is great for days when I have my hair out with nothing to do with it. Great for the before the hair salon. And a change of face.

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chandra 13 November 2009 at 3:10 am Permalink

haha…funny. I actually don’t have an emergency weave or wig but maybe should consider getting one. I definitely approve because I think there are just some days where it’s like I just don’t know what to do with my hair, especially in the beginning, which is where I’m at LOL.

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Jc 13 November 2009 at 6:57 am Permalink

The women in my family have very thick full hair well into old age and wigs are just something I associate with hair loss or baldness. I do not and could not own a wig. However, majority of my black female friends actually do own wigs, not for emergencies but as a routine way to help maintain their hair (no time to style or just have a break from the weave/relaxer).

Glamazini is currently rocking wigs for winter so her site may be a good reference

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BajanPrincess82 13 November 2009 at 7:29 am Permalink

I would (maybe) wear a weave, but never a wig. I don’t know, me and wigs just never got down like that. I have an emergency hairstyle though! Ponytail slicked back with gel to the rescue!

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Bri 13 November 2009 at 7:36 am Permalink

I have emergency scarves…If I don’t feel like wearing my hair out, it’s in a mess or I’m just tired…I put a pretty scarf on.
I have about 10.

an emergency weave/wig sounds like a good thing…but maybe not for me.

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b. 13 November 2009 at 9:03 am Permalink

Bri, you summed it up for me! I, too, have emergency scarves…a medium sized plastic box of them. I don’t even know how many. Insta-boost! Scarves can be worn no matter the length of your hair so I love them. They are also great for hiding the edges on an off day…just use them judiciously lest you fray your edges (and use cotton ones sparingly).

Like Jc, I have an aversion to wigs b/c I also associate them with baldness. (My other thought is that the hair is unkempt underneath it.) I don’t like weaves b/c I am just not a fan of false hair. Never have been. I understand baldness/unkempt hair is often not the case, but that’s my first thought.

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LBell 13 November 2009 at 9:18 am Permalink

I avoid add-on hair of all types: extensions, weaves, phony ponies, wigs. A carefully combed-out ‘fro or ‘fro puff (with a pretty scarf added if necessary) works in any situation. It helps that 1) I’m no longer conditioned to think of looser-textured hair as “better” or “more glamorous” than Afro-textured hair and 2) my desire to “change my look” never involves using fake hair. Like JC, I can’t really dissociate wigs from hair loss or baldness.

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MSJAIM 13 November 2009 at 9:24 am Permalink

I have on a kinky 3/4 wig riiiight now. My hair has been acting a tail with breakage & knots , so Im letting it rest for as long as I can. I keep it moisturized and covered with a wig cap. best $20 Ive spent in a long while. I never thought I would be the wig type either ( my first wig- ha!), but it saves me time & headaches in the morn or when ever Im trying to get things situated with my hair

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Gisele 13 November 2009 at 9:58 am Permalink

I have an emergency wig which I bought in August to wear to my brother’s wedding so I could avoid using a flat iron on my own hair when I was still transitioning. It’s long and luxurious and people seemed to think it was my own hair. I have only worn it once since: to a club when i was too tired to do my own hair and then a phony pony to Halloween as it fit my Uhura/Star Trek outfit.

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kinkylover! 13 November 2009 at 10:34 am Permalink

Honey YES!!!

I have a few emergency wigs… Especially during the winter months and I have my hair in a protective style and I don’t feel like redo-ing my hair. I usually wear my emergency wig when I go out and I just feel like donning a new look or just wanna be a different person….lol. I usually store it in my closet, but since I see myself becoming a wig-holic I have a few pieces sitting up on the shelves in my room… It kinda gives me room character…

I have my Naomi wig which is long and straight, then I have my Beyonce wig (from “work it out” video) with the curly afro, then I have a short bob. Those are the 3 I’ve been rocking pretty hard.

I like the wigs better than weave because I’m always able to go back to my natural and also gives me hair breathing time. I’m not agaisn’t the weave, I still do it. But I tend to get bored with it after a while.

So I definitely APPROVE! Have fun!

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Yo Yo 13 November 2009 at 10:49 am Permalink

I personally, have never worn a wig, but my sister has a drawstring
ponytail that she calls “old faithful”. Needless to say this time of need piece of hair has caused her to have bald spot on the top of her head due tight pulling and combs digging into the scalp. I have tried to get her to go natural but she is relaxer obsessed. I have been natural two times since high school and am now making the transition again, but this time it will be permanent! If you have an “incase of emergency wig” great, but remember sometimes there are consequences!

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Tamarie 13 November 2009 at 11:01 am Permalink

I grew my hair out with half wigs and now that I am fully natural I rock whenever I need a change of scenery or need to avoid the flat iron. My best friend is getting married and wants everyones hair a certain way so I will be wiggin it to protect my hair. I keep about 4 wigs at any given time and go back in for between them to prevent them from getting old.

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AdriB 13 November 2009 at 11:06 am Permalink

I’ve been thinking about this lately! I recently started looking into the lace front wigs and after watching “Good Hair” I really want one! There’s a woman at my job who wears a variety of wigs and she always looks so fly!

@LBell, who commented, “I’m no longer conditioned to think of looser-textured hair as ‘better’ or ‘more glamorous’ than Afro-textured hair:”

Actually, the new trend is wigs and weaves that have the texture of natural black hair. A woman from work came up with hair that looked exactly like mine and she whispered that is was a weave. I ran down a girl at a conference to ask her how she got her two-strand twists so thick and they were fake hair. Wigs and weaves don’t have to give you white looking hair. But lets be real, we’ve all woken up with little time to get dressed and had that hair one one side that was matting together or that one section that just WOULD NOT cooperate. And some days you don’t want a ponytail.

I’m looking forward to my wig! Not to mention it’ll be a new protective style! I stay away from the fake hair in braids b/c it seems to suck up the moisture you try to put in and makes your hair dry.

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Chinye 13 November 2009 at 11:21 am Permalink

I don’t have emergency hair, but I have emergency hats and scarfs. Dureing the winter, I just get some braid extentions. I’ve never worn a wig but I know a lot of people who do. I’m just scared of it coming off in public lol. Shari, I say go for it! Just make sure you get a wig cap so you can try them on in the beauty supply store before you pay for it and avoid the super silky shiny ones lol.

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Shari 13 November 2009 at 11:32 am Permalink

Thanks for all the feedback, guys! just a little more background on my situation…I have a wide variety of emergency scarves and hats, but I’m afraid the cotton/wool of my hats and the pulling from the scarves are damaging my hair. Actually, I can’t even call them “emergency” because I rock them at least 3x a week.

I think I may do a weave instead of a wig. My hair is really thick and shoulder length, so it’s hard to fit it underneath a wig. I was Beyonce for Halloween and my wig was shifting and falling off all over the place and my hair barely got into the wig cap.

So another question for everyone, are some wigs/weaves better than others? Should I go cheap or expensive? I am so clueless about this.

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Gisele 13 November 2009 at 11:58 am Permalink

If you have fine/delicate hair I wouldn’t recommend weaves; they can completely destroy the hair line which takes ages to recover. at least wigs shouldn’t have that effect. did you cornrow your hair before wearing the wig at Halloween? that should have reduced the bulk and allowed for a better fit.

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- Shari 13 November 2009 at 12:03 pm Permalink
  
  @Gisele – I have thick & coarse hair, so I think I should be ok. I didn’t have time to cornrow my hair that night. That was a definite mistake.
  
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The Notorious Z.A.G. 13 November 2009 at 1:04 pm Permalink

I wear half wigs. If its close to wash day I usually twist the top, pin the twists back. Then I put my hair in a bun and GENTLY put the comb in. I have a sensitive scalp, so I can’t stand anything tight on my head.. I secure the sides with a couple of bobbie pins and voila! Temporary “weave”. I found a piece that looks like my twistouts, and I usually go for textured hair pieces (because I prefer the look of Afro-Textured hair). I store it in the bag it came in and throw it in the closet. It gives my hair a break and gives me something other than a puff to work with. Happy Hair Hunting!!
PS- I sent a couple of pics to the bglh email address of the half wig/twist style, check them out when you get a chance ^_^

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RoxyScores 15 November 2009 at 2:30 pm Permalink

I work in the entertainment industry, and I can’t rock my natural hair at work. I love my natural curls, it sucks that I can’t make money with it! I’m guilty of skipping work when I have a good hair day because I hate having to cover it up with the lace front.

Just braid or twist your hair down flat and make sure that the wig combs aren’t pulling your hair. I’ve been wearing wigs for the last year and the combs broke off the hair at my temples. Now I use lace front glue in front of my hairline and a few bobby pins to keep the wig from sliding back.

Sew in weaves helped me grow my hair out when I first went natural. After my hair got longer than shoulder length I had to stop getting them because they thinned out my ends.

There’s nothing wrong with fake hair! I don’t want to damage my beautiful naps with heat, so whenever I want straight hair I buy some!

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rosie 15 November 2009 at 9:00 pm Permalink

I don’t know anything about weaves or wigs so i can’t really answer your question but Shari your comments made me think. ” rock them at least 3x a week”

I can be wrong but from some your questions it sounds like you are having a hard time adjusting to your natural hair. It seems that you are having more bad hair days than good. And although your hair might be healthier now it was easier to deal with when it was straight because you have years of experience of what to do. SICK WITH IT. I’ve been natural for 4 years but i recently stop saying things like i might relax it again. Find a hairstyle + product that you LOVE and run with it until you come across something new. (hopefully by one of these other beautiful bglh’ers). No more hats and hold off on a wig. Get to know your hair first!

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Nappyme 16 November 2009 at 1:16 am Permalink

I had one…I used to wear for job interviews. That was back when I was in no way comfortable wearing my natural hair…mostly because I didn’t have a clue what to do with it. I was job hunting back in the early days of my loose-haired natural journey and I hadn’t connected with the online natural community yet. Interviews would crop up unexpectantly and I wouldn’t have either the time or energy to get it pressed so I purchased a wig.

I landed a job, but I hated the wig so I never wore it again. Not even on the first day of work. Coworkers, all of them white) didn’t quite know what to make of my hair. I was a little self conscious, but I didn’t care. My hair was free!

I haven’t worn a wig since…not even for interviews lol!

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Kadiane*francophone 16 November 2009 at 6:06 pm Permalink

Well…if i can not make you change your mind, i’ll rather be part of the solution…how about this ? :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TovbicOTJJY&feature=related

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Eboney 16 November 2009 at 7:45 pm Permalink

Haha. Perfect timing with this post. I bought a short wig in July for fun for those days that I didn’t want to do my hair. I never wore it. Lately, I’ve noticed that my hairline is thinning in the front due to pulling my hair into a tight puff all the time. So this past Friday, I decided to finally wear the wig in public. WELL! People are going crazy over it. They’re absolutely in love. My coworkers, my friends on FB, everyone is all over it and half and them just thought I permed and cut my hair! So yes, I definitely recommend a wig to give our hair a much needed break. Weaves are great (wore them for years) but if they aren’t done tight, that will lead to breakage as well.

Loving my Mary J Hair,
Eboney

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Bella 20 November 2009 at 8:30 am Permalink

So surprised at all the responses of ladies that have never worn wigs! Wow – LOL! I am the wig queen and I love them…and yes my hair is natural also. Just like you I also have thick hair so the best way to wear mu wig is to braid down my natual hair. I also love half wigs, I usually wear one that is close to my hair texture and that way I can have my real hair out in the front and protect the rest of my hair or I have a drawstring ponytail with the same texture that I rock. I must warn you though, it is addictive because it’s so easy to just get up and go with little maintenance. Oh and by the way, I don’t pay a lot of money for my wigs ($27.99)/pontails($12.99)

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Lynda 21 November 2009 at 10:14 pm Permalink

I never used to approve of wigs and those emergency weaves because I thought everyone should be able to “maintain”. But let me tell you something, when you are in your third year of college, just started locing your hair, working, extracurricular activities and life in between, shoot.. those wigs and weaves will come in handy. Just because you wear a wig or a weave does not make you more or less natural. Personally, I swore I would never wear a wig but I have just started locing my hair and between retwists my hair will appear as if it has never been twisted for months and it ends up looking not so hot. LOL. I have growth all over the place so during those times, I slam on a wig and call it a day. Our hair needs a break too, so I am for the wig. As for weaves… I was never a huge fan – just be careful as to not have it done too tight to the point of breakage and all that negative hair stuff. :) Be blessed.

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TheAmazon 6 December 2009 at 4:13 pm Permalink

YES! I have several emergency wigs, I pull out usually when I want to psychologically mess with people, or just have a quick change of pace.

For me this option is a lot cheaper and a lot less invasive than a weave.

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Beautifulnoir 17 December 2009 at 8:33 pm Permalink

Yes, I have emergency wigs and scarfs. The wig is a better choice for me because of work. Scarfs are simply not appropriate in every work environment.

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nynaturalbeauty 22 December 2009 at 12:05 pm Permalink

OMGosh…I love wigs. I can’t say enough about them. I have been natural for 13 years and they allow you to have different looks regualarly. I would never want to torture my hair with all the heat, styles and products to achieve a particular look, albeit temporary. In a matter of three weeks I rocked a short asymmterical bob,a wispy cleopatra with highlights and deep set wavy curls, beneath it all my hair was beautifully plaited. At the end of that I rocked my own natural locks in a braid out. FYI – Your hair will grow longer and stronger when it is left to its own devices.

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jewel 4 March 2010 at 11:39 pm Permalink

I have tons of wigs a weave hair but I went natural to break my addiction. it was never for emergency they were my standard~ I can’t look back now

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Brie 4 December 2010 at 9:47 pm Permalink

i have an emergency ponytail. lol

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S. 4 October 2011 at 5:38 am Permalink

Umpteen years ago when I had my first boy cut, I bought a few wigs to wear for options as I grew it out.

The wigs were like accessories, to wear when I was in the mood for a different look.

I don’t see anything wrong with them as long as one’s own hair is still taken care of, especially by being careful not to overuse wigs to the point of causing any type of hair loss due to too much friction from the wig.

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